Q:I bought my carved stationery box at an auction several years ago. It is carved with dragons, and the interior is divided into several sections. I would like to know its origin, age and value. -- D.L.

Answer: It is a Chinese-export stationery box based on forms made in England during the mid-19th century. It includes thin dividers for storing paper and envelopes, a built-in pen box and spaces for ink bottles.

European traders began exporting Chinese goods by ship beginning in the 16th century. Chinese exports, mostly porcelain, were especially popular during the 18th and 19th centuries. Trade with China continues today.

The Chinese often copied English forms such as lap desks, stationery boxes and other items in exotic woods, often adding carved embellishments such as dragons. Some items were inlaid. It would retail for $195.

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Q:I was given a small, bentwood rocking chair. It has a stamped mark under the seat that I cannot make out. I had planned to clean it but was advised not to. I would like to know who made it, the age and value. -- M.L.

 

Answer: This little rocker was produced about 1910 by J&J Kohn in Czechoslovakia. In the 1850s, father-son team Jacob and Josef Kohn at first made building materials. They began making bentwood furniture in 1868.

Michael Thonet, a German-Austrian, is credited with inventing bentwood furniture. After many attempts, beginning in the 1830s, he introduced his first chair in 1850. Later, he unveiled his famous coffee-shop chair. Thonet waived patent rights in 1868 and Kohn began production.

This small J&J Kohn bentwood rocker appears to be entirely original, including the finish. Whoever advised you to leave it alone gave you good advice. Do not clean it. It would retail for at least $300.
Have a question about an antique or collectible? Send e-mail to home@timesdispatch.com with a digital image, or send a complete description with a clear photograph to Jay Moore, Flair Department, Richmond Times-Dispatch, P.O. Box 85333, Richmond, VA 23293. Photographs will not be returned. The large volume of mail may mean a delay in publishing answers.